How to Shop for a Teething Ring
Babies start teething very early in life, at around four to six months. A teething ring makes an excellent way to help them cope with it. There's no risk of the baby swallowing too much material (as with medicines or teething foods) and it fulfills the baby's natural urge to put things into her mouth. When you shop for a teething ring, you should keep certain specific qualities in mind.
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Instructions
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Check the teething ring to make sure it is free of harmful elements. Most teething rings these days are considered safe, but older rings were often made with lead or similar chemicals. Above all, a teething ring needs to be safe and nontoxic for your baby to use it.
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Decide if you want the teething ring to be fun or simply practical. You can shop for teething rings which double as toys, containing all manner of bells and whistles to occupy the baby or look for teething rings that serve a very direct purpose and stick to the point. Which one you select is purely a matter of taste.
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Choose the material the teething ring is composed of. A teething ring made of metal (including sterling silver, if you can afford it) is easier to chill in the refrigerator, while one made of rubber tends to be softer and easier on the gums. Plastic rings are inexpensive and generally safe. Your baby may have a particular preference, which you'll need to determine through a certain amount of trial and error.
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Determine if you want the ring to hold water or not. Water helps the ring stay cold when you place it in the refrigerator and gives it a pleasing consistency when the baby chews on it, but it can mean problems if it develops leaks.
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Examine the surface of the ring. Some of them (like those offered at One Step Ahead) contain bumps and protrusions to help the baby chew, while others are smooth and featureless (see Resources below). Like other aspects of a teething ring, which one you shop for is purely a mater of taste and the proclivities of your particular baby.
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Tips & Warnings
Clean your teething ring once the baby is done with it. It goes into his mouth, after all, and you want it to be clean.
Don't boil a teething ring that contains water. Though boiling is a good way to sterilize the ring, if it has water inside, it may burst.
Make sure the teething ring is of a sufficient size to avoid becoming a choking hazard.
